Mehbooba
must co-operateNo settling scores at cost of
peacePeople’s
Democratic Party leader Mehbooba Mufti’s refusal to attend the
all-party meeting convened by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar
Abdullah to seek to defuse tension in the valley should come as no
surprise given her past record of trying to make political capital out
of difficult situations.

What a
carnival!For one month, earth was a
footballWho
says only cricket is the game of glorious uncertainties? Football
too can prove all predictions wrong — except perhaps those made by
Paul the octopus. Who in his right mind would have claimed before the
FIFA World Cup that former champions Italy and runners-up France will be
eliminated in the first round, hot favourites Brazil and Argentina will
be shown the door so ignominiously in the knockout stage and the first
time finalists Spain will claim the trophy?

Irresponsible
outingPunjab MLAs off to ScotlandAt
a time when large parts of Punjab are under flood waters and
the victims need urgent relief, a team of MLAs has left for Scotland
— ostensibly to study the process of Scotch making. It would have
been understandable had they gone to Delhi to press the Centre for
compensation for the flood damage in the state, estimated at Rs 480
crore.

Krishna’s
visit to PakStarting point for a new
dialogueby P.R. ChariCharles
Dickens’ opening words in his Tale of Two Cities summarises
the current state of India-Pakistan relations — it was the best of
times, it was the worst of times, it was the spring of hope, it was
the winter of despair.

Thanks
for the lovely capsby Praveen VasishtMy
friendship with Rear Admiral SS Jamwal goes back to 1966 when
we together joined the Lawrence School, Sanawar. We remained in touch
with each other and followed each other’s life closely. Even when he
got posted to Moscow as Naval Attaché we exchanged notes. Needless to
say, he was a great source of inspiration to me. A great officer. A
wonderful human being.

Information
WarfareDecision
makers should log-on to the nuancesVulnerable information
networks can adversely affect national security and create utter
chaos. Safeguarding them is critical and the country ought to move
fast to secure its cyber assets as potential adversaries already
have an edgeLt Gen Harbhajan Singh (Retd)‘For
to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of
skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of
skill." So said noted Chinese military strategist and philosopher
Sun Tzu. No doubt what he meant was ways to outwit and outmaneuver the
enemy without resorting to arms.

Be ready
before cyber raiders come chargingBrig Kiran Krishan (Retd)Addressing
the Army Commanders' Conference at New Delhi in May, Defence
Minister AK Antony said cyber attacks were "fast becoming the
next generation of threats", and asked the defence services to
work in unison to combat computer based external attacks. He also
asked them to focus on developing a "force capable of operating
in a joint network-centric environment." While remaining alive to
current threats, the services can not afford to remain oblivious to
the fast changing technological milieu and its effect on war . There
is a need to intently peep into the future and start preparations now.

People’s Democratic Party leader Mehbooba Mufti’s refusal to attend the all-party meeting convened by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to seek to defuse tension in the valley should come as no surprise given her past record of trying to make political capital out of difficult situations. If Ms Mufti was sincere about defusing tension in the valley which has been in deep turmoil for over two weeks, she would have joined the talks and taken the government to task for mis-governance while suggesting concrete steps. By spurning even personal appeals by the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister to attend the all-party meeting, the PDP leader has strengthened suspicions that she has a stake in keeping the pot boiling. In the words of Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti has chosen to be “part of the problem” and not “part of the solution.” One cannot but recall how she had contributed to the escalation of the Amarnath land row two years ago after her party acquiesced in the allocation of land to the Amarnath Shrine Board.

It is becoming increasingly clear that while Mr Omar Abdullah’s sincerity is beyond reproach, his government has mishandled the situation in the valley and given Mehbooba and the separatists a handle to beat him with. Army chief General V.K. Singh’s observations in a TV interview that the recent flare-up in the valley was a result of the failure to build on the gains made by the security forces can hardly be brushed aside. However, one wonders whether the controversy this would predictably rake up with the political dispensation joining issue with the army chief could not have been avoided at this sensitive juncture when the State Government’s hands need to be strengthened.

How long will hardline separatists and the political elements who are out to create or fan trouble be allowed to have a free run? It is for the Central and State governments to take a call on this and to define a ‘laxman rekha’ beyond which secessionist statements would invite action. The signal that should go across should be of strength not weakness. At the same time, the legitimate needs of the people must be met and efforts redoubled to win back the people’s trust.

What a carnival!
For one month, earth was a football

Who
says only cricket is the game of glorious uncertainties? Football too can prove all predictions wrong — except perhaps those made by Paul the octopus. Who in his right mind would have claimed before the FIFA World Cup that former champions Italy and runners-up France will be eliminated in the first round, hot favourites Brazil and Argentina will be shown the door so ignominiously in the knockout stage and the first time finalists Spain will claim the trophy? Well, the unthinkable has happened, ending 76 years of the Spaniards’ wait. They dashed the hopes of Holland 1-0 on Sunday in the first World Cup final to be decided in extra time. The sense of dejection among the Dutch fans has been heightened by the fact that this was their third loss in the final, the earlier ones being in 1974 and 1978. This is the first time that a European team has won the tournament outside of its home continent.

Only one team was bound to emerge champion and the other 31were to go disappointed. What mattered was that it was one month of sheer soccer ecstasy which engulfed the entire world. There was no dull moment during the tournament. Yes, there were controversies galore, what with numerous refereeing howlers, the irritation caused by the vuvuzela drone being a pain in the ears and the flight and behaviour of the new Jubilani ball being more unpredictable than the outcome of the matches. But overall, it was an excellent tournament.

This was the first time that the tournament was being hosted by an African nation and there were genuine misgivings about the state of preparedness as well as the crime situation in the country. However, when the time came, everything fell in place admirably. In fact, the successful conduct of the gigantic tournament has done a lot of good for the pride of South Africa – nay, the whole continent. There is a lesson there for India too, that it also can be equally successful in conducting the forthcoming Commonwealth Games if it puts its heart and soul into it.

Irresponsible outing
Punjab MLAs off to Scotland

At
a time when large parts of Punjab are under flood waters and the victims need urgent relief, a team of MLAs has left for Scotland — ostensibly to study the process of Scotch making. It would have been understandable had they gone to Delhi to press the Centre for compensation for the flood damage in the state, estimated at Rs 480 crore. Their foreign trip rather weakens the state’s case for relief. If the state wastes public money on such activities as sending MLAs abroad to help them escape the sultry weather here, why should the Centre come to the rescue of the state?

Reports say the Finance Department had refused to give them advance money to fund the trip. But if they have the blessings of the Punjab Chief Minister or the Deputy Chief Minister, which is quite likely, then the Finance Department would have to foot the bill even if Mr Manpreet Singh Badal has any reservations. He falls in line when required. The MLAs’ foreign jaunt, however, does not come as a surprise. Punjab politicians are notorious for their extravagant ways at state expense. The Akali-Congress leaders unite on such mutually beneficial issues as raising legislators’ perks, withdrawing criminal cases against politicians or trips abroad.

Punjab Speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon, who has been chargesheeted by the CBI, is leading the Vidhan Sabha committee delegation. He seems least bothered by the CBI action. This committee of legislators does not hold its meetings in Chandigarh or somewhere in Punjab but at such holiday destinations as Shimla, Srinagar, Goa and the Andamans. The trip was organised on the basis of the committee’s supposed finding that there were “huge amounts” of alcohol in groundwater around the distilleries in the state. The Punjab Pollution Control Board, however, has debunked the claim.

Food is the fuel of life. From it comes energy which sustains life. — The Upanishads

ARTICLE

Krishna’s visit to Pak
Starting point for a new dialogue
by P.R. Chari

Charles Dickens’ opening words in his Tale of Two Cities summarises the current state of India-Pakistan relations — it was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.

These contrary conclusions are inspired by the fact that both countries are inextricably tied to each other by geography and history and civilisational link that span several centuries. And after they became nuclear weapon states in 1998, they went to war in Kargil in 1999, and indulged in a very dangerous border confrontation crisis over 2001-02.

Both could have spun out of control. Therefore, they can hardly remain indifferent neighbors. The rationale for resuming the dialogue with Pakistan, suspended after the Mumbai attacks in November 2008 is, therefore, incontrovertible.

However, it would be realistic to appreciate that the constraints upon them for resisting any dialogue are also compelling if their past dismal record is reviewed — revival followed by disruption followed by revival ad infinitum and ad nauseum. Contrary impulses, therefore, will govern External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna’s ensuing visit to Islamabad for a dialogue with his counterpart, Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

A revival of the peace talks can be anticipated. However, the talks could be poisoned at inception by Krishna raising the subject of the Laskar-e-Toiba fishing in the troubled waters of Kashmir. There is deep suspicion that Rawalpindi, read the Inter Services Intelligence organisation, has seized this opportunity.

Raising this issue will vitiate the atmosphere; not raising it will be domestically unacceptable and question why Krishna went ahead with this diplomatic enterprise at the present sensitive juncture. Naturally, Pakistan will categorically deny all such allegations.

Over to the Pakistani counter-attack. It could reiterate that India should resolve the Kashmir dispute before bilateral relations could normalise. Shorthand for New Delhi holding a plebiscite in terms of the six decades old. Security Council Resolutions. Their interpretation by Pakistan differs radically from that of India. The result: stalemate.

Instead, both countries could profitably revive the modality of making borders irrelevant agreed to some years earlier by President Musharraf and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Conceptually, it could become the starting point for a new dialogue.

There is a structural issue that remains. How should this bilateral dialogue be proceeded with? Revert to the earlier composite dialogue? It was revived in 2004 after going into hibernation in 1998 following the India-Pakistan nuclear tests.

Reviewing the composite dialogue, however, only highlights the reality that related contentious issues like Kashmir, Siachen, Sir Creek, Wullar barrage/ Tulbul Navigation project, are in deep recess. They cannot be resolved unless basic political decisions are taken by India and Pakistan. That leaves “peace and security, terrorism and drug trafficking, economic and commercial cooperation and the promotion of friendly exchanges in different fields” for being explored in that agenda.

Some skepticism arises whether cooperation in mitigating the common menace of terrorism can proceed very far in the prevailing milieu of deep mistrust between India and Pakistan.

On the other hand, considerable scope remains for enlarging people-to-people contacts, promoting trade and improving connectivity to enable greater commerce. Basically, the present obstructive visa regime needs to be liberalised and the India-Pakistan dialogue could profitably address this issue.

Political commitment is required from both sides, but it might be easier to garner than for politico-strategic issues. Add to this agenda water issues like Kishanganga and other contentions shaping up and a substantial agenda for discussion in Islamabad becomes available which could provide the impetus for the Indus Water Commissioners to address these disputes.

There is, of course, a huge caveat that must be entered here that cannot be brushed aside which is the reality that ultimate power in Pakistan vests in the Pakistan Army. Operating as a Praetorian force when civilian governments are in brief authority, the Pakistan Army remains the real power in that country. Of course, Pakistan has been under military rule for half its history.

Civilian governments, when they do exist, can only exist with their concurrence and under their patronage. This prevailing reality cannot be wished away. But it would be impossible for democratic India to suggest a direct dialogue with the Pakistan Army.

In this situation, the question is vital: how will the Pakistan army react to a bilateral agenda that may not have any major politico-strategic content, but basically addresses non-military issues? Optimists might believe that these ‘peripheral’ issues would not much interest the Pakistan Army, and they will not obstruct the civilian government from pursuing them.

However, this may not be true since the Pakistan Army is widely believed to resist efforts to normalise India-Pakistan relations and seek a modus vivendi on Kashmir since this threatens their institutional interests.

Krishna, therefore, needs to travel hopefully, but any great enthusiasm is
contra-indicated.

The writer is associated with the Institute of Peace and Conflict
Studies, New Delhi

MIDDLE

Thanks for the lovely caps
by Praveen Vasisht

My
friendship with Rear Admiral SS Jamwal goes back to 1966 when we together joined the Lawrence School, Sanawar. We remained in touch with each other and followed each other’s life closely. Even when he got posted to Moscow as Naval Attaché we exchanged notes. Needless to say, he was a great source of inspiration to me. A great officer. A wonderful human being.

During my last winter vacations this year, Jonga as we called him at Sanawar invited me and my wife to Cochin for a holiday for a week and we grabbed it with both hands, as I really needed one (running Sanawar can be exhausting). Incidentally, the last time we had a holiday was also courtesy my friend Jonga almost 10 years ago when he was posted at Goa, in INS Godawari. My mother and daughter too joined us there.

At Cochin we were put up in a beautiful holiday home next to the waters, and one morning he called up to say that he’s taking his daughter Shriya to buy a watch in the evening to one of those ‘fancy malls’ and if my wife and I would also like to accompany them. Watch purchased, he took pains to select an appropriate trek suit for his wife Geeta and then found me looking for a ‘cap’ to cover my bald head for winters.

Typical of him, he said: ‘Peeks, don’t buy this as I have many beautiful ones at home, and I’ll send you one tomorrow’. Sure enough, early next morning Jonga’s butler came with three beautiful caps, each better than the other.

On the fateful day of Jonga’s demise, when I called his home, it was this same butler Narender who picked up the phone, and after asking him who he was he said: ‘Sahab, woh topi wallah’. I love wearing these caps in rotation, and one of them adorns my office permanently.

On one of the many visits Jonga had arranged for us at the Cochi Southern Command Naval base, at one of the training schools I was presented with another lovely cap by the officer in charge, with “INS Dronacharya” inscribed on it with its motto below, HIT FIRST. Ironically, it was at this base that Rear Admiral SS Jamwal got accidentally hit by a gunshot.

I spoke to Jonga the last time about a week ago, and the first thing he asked me was: “Peeks, have you started writing?” He always encouraged me to start writing for newspaper, magazines and finally books, and I always told him that there’s no time for that, and that once I retire, may be I’ll do only that.

But yes Jonga, you will be happy to know that I have begun writing. Our Cochin visit will always remain very memorable to both of us for the lovely time we all had together. And your caps will always remind me of all the good values we together learnt at
Sanawar.

OPED
DEFENCE

Information Warfare

Decision makers should log-on to the nuances
Vulnerable information networks can adversely affect national security and create utter chaos. Safeguarding them is critical and the country ought to move fast to secure its cyber assets as potential adversaries already have an edge
Lt Gen Harbhajan Singh (Retd)

‘For to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill." So said noted Chinese military strategist and philosopher Sun Tzu. No doubt what he meant was ways to outwit and outmaneuver the enemy without resorting to arms.

Today this translates to a type of warfare dominated by the use and manipulation of information and information networks and subversion of data to one's own advantage, thereby bringing down an enemy by without actually firing a shot.

Information warfare is the offensive and defensive use of information and information systems to deny, exploit, corrupt, or destroy, an adversary's information, information-based processes, information systems, and computer-based networks while protecting one's own. Such actions are designed to achieve advantages over military, political or business adversaries.

One of the prime aims of Information warfare is to so manage the perception of the enemy top decision makers and even its people, that a nation's aims are met without recourse to war.

We are living in the Information Age. The means of gathering and disseminating information are exploding -- TV, Internet, media, news on cell phones, e-newspapers and e-books are available at home, in the work place and even on the move. The maxim, 'seeing is believing' has made TV very powerful in forming opinions and perceptions. Internet is another means used extensively. These are already being used as vehicles for information and disinformation. Since information is such a powerful tool, contesting entities, may they be nations, politicians, economic czars, terrorist organizations try and exploit its use and deny the same to the adversary. This leads to Information Warfare.

The terminology "Information Warfare" covers propaganda or disinformation leading to "perception management", which is making the targeted people believe, what you want them to believe. This is used both during peace and war, in diplomacy, politics, and economic relations and even in sports (pre match sound bytes!!). Before important international conferences, news leaks by unnamed representatives are commonly used to put pressure on the other side. The propaganda blitz during elections is also common the world over.

In a war scenario, information warfare starts much earlier, even before war clouds start to build. The warring nations may try and project their policy and strengths thru speeches, press releases, pictures of their armed forces and so on. Aim being not only to detract the enemy from his plans and thinking but also to mould a favorable international opinion, in particular of international power centers, so important in today's world. The aim may be to see if the national objectives can be met or facilitated through information warfare and actual war avoided. On the other hand some powerful nations may use this to justify to their own people and the world at large going to war!

In any kind of warfare, there are both the offensive and defensive aspects. The aim has to be having an overwhelming edge on the adversary in propaganda. The offensive part also includes using electronic and ballistic means to disable or destroy enemy's TV and radio stations or jamming them.

This aspect of Information warfare has to be planned and coordinated at the highest level as part of national strategy. What to project at what time and how. In our case, the PMO will have to get involved.

In a war situation, Information warfare operations are to be undertaken, in the military arena; propaganda/perception management being a part and parcel. The armed forces today depend heavily on electronic systems, including communications, surveillance devices (satellites, radars, UAVs), weapon systems (missiles, rockets, guns), air and naval operations and electronic warfare. Information or intelligence is passed instantaneously, processed and disseminated speedily. Plans and orders issued and their implementation monitored leading to Network Centric Warfare. All such systems heavily depend on use of computers.

Information warfare is also integral part of deception. Use of computers enables doctoring of images quite realistically. This can help in projecting troops, aircraft, ships and weapon systems where they are not. According to Sun Zu, All warfare is based on deception.

Over 70 per cent of all intelligence is derived using electronic interceptions, both in peace and war. The aim has to be to make the battlefield transparent to own forces and blind the enemy. This is one of the prime objectives of information operations during war.

Disabling or doctoring enemy's computer based systems while ensuring use of the same by own forces is a critical aspect of information operations. This is also termed cyber warfare. However, cyber warfare is not restricted to armed forces networks but includes all national critical resources like transportation, water supply, law and order, telecommunications, financial systems (banking, stock markets), news media, medical etc. In short all systems which can adversely affect the war effort, the lives of people and thus create chaos. Safeguarding all such systems is critical to over all war effort.

Cyber warfare covers hacking and spread of viruses. The worst is to doctor the functioning of systems so that these get out of control. There are many reports of Indian and American computer systems being hacked. The fingers point invariably towards China, which has taken cyber warfare very seriously and made it a pillar of its strategy. It has raised a number of cyber warfare divisions.

India has also set up some organisations to counter these threats, both at national and military levels but much more needs to be done and fast. India has the required brains and technical resources. What is needed is the national will and according required priority and resources.

Our political leaders and bureaucrats who are the ultimate decision makers need to be well versed in the nuances of this new form of warfare. As of now, our potential adversaries have a big edge.

(The author is a former Signals
Officer-in-Chief of the Indian Army)

Be ready before cyber raiders come charging
Brig Kiran Krishan (Retd)

Addressing
the Army Commanders' Conference at New Delhi in May, Defence Minister AK Antony said cyber attacks were "fast becoming the next generation of threats", and asked the defence services to work in unison to combat computer based external attacks. He also asked them to focus on developing a "force capable of operating in a joint network-centric environment." While remaining alive to current threats, the services can not afford to remain oblivious to the fast changing technological milieu and its effect on war . There is a need to intently peep into the future and start preparations now.

The minister's exhortation hasn't come a day too soon. In January, no less a person than the former National Security Advisor, MK Narayanan had pointed an accusing finger at China for launching cyber attacks on computers in the Prime Minister's Office. In February 2009, the Ministry of External Affairs had reported several of its computers had been infected by a spyware originating from a server in China. In 2008 also, the MEA's internal communication network was reported to have been broken into by Chinese hackers. There was also a report of Pakistani hackers defacing an Indian Army website.

On January 14, failure of the computerised data processing system with Air Traffic Control at IGI Airport, New Delhi led to a massive disruption for almost two hours, when the airport was already reeling under dense fog and low visibility conditions. Analysts fear such outages could even be engineered as part of planned cyberwar operations. Critical infrastructure - services including rail, air, and sea transportation systems, power generation and transmission, monitoring of oil and gas pipelines, banking services, voice and data transmission are all dependent upon internet based networks.

Today, it is difficult to imagine a world without computers and internet. US experts warn of "cybergeddon," where an advanced economy in which almost everything is linked to or controlled by computers falls prey to hackers, with catastrophic results.

Information Technology is critical to the defence effort, indeed the whole life of a nation. If a country cannot support its tanks, ships, aircraft, missiles, and satellites with cyber capability, and cyber security, the war is likely to be lost before it has even begun. And, if you cannot guard your banking networks, you would lose your money as well. Possibly, future conflicts would consist of blended attacks - physical attack, accompanied by disruption of cyber systems, or a series of such attacks. The new environment necessitates the ability to defend own networks while retaining the ability to disrupt those of the adversary. The adversaries could be countries, rogue NGOs, and even rogue individuals marching to their own weird tunes. One of the most difficult problem with cyberwar is that the internet gives the originators of attack the power of anonymity. Finding the identity of an attacker is extremely difficult.

What does the future hold for the militaries of the world? The ideas swirl has spawned a thousand cyber neologisms; cyberspace, cyberwar, cybersecurity, cyberdeterrence, cyber dominance, cybergeddon (a take-off from Armageddon), digital 9/11, digital Pearl Harbour, cyber shockwave, cyberterrorist, digital warriors, cyberbomb and so on. Rules of warfare are changing once again though the shape and structure of the cyber future is far from clear. Would future wars be contested only by digital nerds punching keys in air conditioned offices and not by heroic soldiers shedding their blood on distant battlefields? Or, would future wars consist of series of near simultaneous bloody and bloodless combats?

How does one fight the digital war? What should be the objectives of a cyber attack? How does one deter cyberaggression? Should it be deterrence by denial - prohibitively raising the costs of an attack by strong firewalls, or deterrence - sure, swift and overwhelming retribution? But would the ideas that rule the conventional war today foot the bill of a cyberworld?

In the two recent Gulf wars, an information technology dominant USA was able to pulverise an IT deficient Iraq. According to Nigel Inkster, an analyst with the International Institute for Strategic Studies, "There is lot of concern in [China and Russia] that the US is seeking to achieve in cyberspace the same dominance it is perceived to have in the realm of conventional and nuclear weapons."

The US military has recently set up the United Sates Cyber Command. A new bipartisan cybersecurity bill introduced on June 10, 2010 seeks to give the US President authority to declare a national "cyber emergency" and protect critical assets. The Department of Homeland Security's new National Centre for Cybersecurity and Communications would be responsible for protection against and responding to attacks on government and critical private networks.

India too has started taking hesitant steps to prepare for cyber-conflict. The Indian Army is setting up a cyber-security laboratory at the Military College of Telecommunication Engineering, Mhow to train officers in establishing and maintaining security protocols. This ambit would have to be expanded soon as purely defensive measures are unlikely to succeed against determined attackers who continue probing relentlessly till they find a chink in the cyber armour.

The country as a whole would do well to move fast and be ready before the cyber barbarians come calling.

(The author is a defence analyst)

Corrections and clarifications

n
On Page 3 of The Tribune, (July 12) in the headline “Banur-Landra road reopened,” Landran has been
misspelt.

n On Page 3 of The Tribune, (July 9), in the photo caption with the report “Volunteers clean Sirhind choe,” welfare has been mis-spelt as
welfarefe.

n On Page 1 of The Tribune, (July 9) the headline “Patiala paralysed,” does not convey that it is mainly the villages that have been hit by the floods and not Patiala town.

n
On Page 2 of The Tribune, (July 10) the report, “Train services resume in the region,” is repeated on page 7 in the story, “Rail traffic restored, but partially.” Besides, the headlines are contradictory.

Despite our earnest endeavour to keep The Tribune error-free, some errors do creep in at times. We are always eager to correct them.

This column appears twice a week — every Tuesday and Friday. We request our readers to write or e-mail to us whenever they find any error.

Readers in such cases can write to Mr Kamlendra Kanwar, Senior Associate Editor, The Tribune, Chandigarh, with the word “Corrections” on the envelope. His e-mail ID is kanwar@tribunemail.com.